URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?! - Transmission Forum

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URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Friday, May 09, 2014 11:12 AM
For some reason after everything is put back together now with the Bully Stage 4 clutch in....

The shifter won't move easily. It goes to neutral and 4th gear. 3rd and 5th with some major effort. I think, and it looks like, the shifter cables are like getting hung up on each other or something. How should they look if not like this?








2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero

Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Friday, May 09, 2014 11:37 AM
Okay, so the cables are connected in the right spot. I know that. I disconnected them from the actuator on the trans, and the shifter moves freely. When I try to connect the cable ends to the actuator, it feels like the cables have to bend severely to snap on. It's like the shift cable bracket is too close to the actuator or at the wrong angle. I'm baffled.

Not a transmission guy. The guy who worked on my car doesn't know what's up.


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Friday, May 09, 2014 11:55 AM
I have the cables reconnected and same story. Shifter won't lean left, can't go into 1 or 2. 3 and 4 and neutral work fine. 5 and reverse are difficult but it will move and stay in those positions. Wtf?


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Friday, May 09, 2014 1:57 PM
Sorry for the numerous posts, but now that I'm home and gave up for the day...
The shifter seems like it's in the middle but the actuator on the trans is full-left. So in the car the shifter will move everywhere but left (albeit it feels a little strange in the positions).

When I hook the cables up on the trans, I think the actuator is moving my gear shifter to the right in the car, as that's how it always ends up when I go back to the interior. So when I move the gear shifter back to the middle, the actuator on the trans moves to the left, and it's at the end of its movement.

How do I fix this? lol


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Friday, May 09, 2014 2:09 PM
Damnit, forgot the picture:




2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Friday, May 09, 2014 3:28 PM
Will it move without the cables on the trans... just by hand?



Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Friday, May 09, 2014 6:18 PM
Yes everything works smooth and free with the cables disconnected from the actuator.


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Saturday, May 10, 2014 9:06 PM
I move the actuator to whatever position I can manage to snap the cable ends on the most easily. Then I go in the car and see that it's in 5th gear or something. I'm able to move it back to the middle neutral and go into 3 and 4, but won't go left at all. If I disconnect the lower cable from the actuator, I can make the shifter move into all positions 1-2-3-4-5-R (it just doesn't stay of course)


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Saturday, May 10, 2014 10:35 PM
Sounds like it could be the cables or check the base of your shifter. That may have come apart as well...



Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Sunday, May 11, 2014 4:07 PM
I don't get how, no one touched anything but the cables at the trans... I wasn't there during the work done, but if they can't figure it out by the time I get off work Monday I'll go take apart the console and look I guess. I need my car to work.


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Sunday, May 11, 2014 4:34 PM
Ive had one of the retaining collars come of the pin on the shifter itself and cause issues. If everything there is ok. Then sounds like you need to order new shift cables.




Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Monday, May 12, 2014 6:32 AM
Do you think maybe the cables just need to be adjusted? The procedure in ALLDATA says to ensure the trans is in neutral and then you disconnect the cables, move the gearshift to the middle neutral position, and reconnect them.

The problem is how do I know whether the trans is in neutral or not? I don't know what the actuator position on the trans should be for whatever gear the shifter is in...


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 8:59 AM
I'm assuming this is a getrag transmission. If so, the up/down lever should spring back to the middle of its travel after pulling/pushing it. If so, then that's good. The gear selector lever should click once in either direction left/right, for a total of 3 different positions. The middle position of the left/right lever, with the up/down lever in the middle of travel, will have the transmission in neutral. Confirm this by rolling the car to see if it moves . With the transmission in neutral, hook up your cables in the proper positions, making sure not to pull or push either lever. Once they're on correct, with the transmission still in neutral, look at your shifter in the car. Should be dead center in the middle. If not, you will have to adjust the cables inside the car. Do this by taking out the center console. With the transmission in neutral, flip up the adjusting levers on both left/right and up/down cables. Then you should be able to move the shifter wherever you want. After it is centered, snap the adjusting levers back down into place.

If there is still binding after adjustment, make sure your cables aren't bent or kinked to get them into position. They should lay easily where they need to be. Also you could have bad cables, I changed mine on my Sunflower and it made a world of difference.




Currently #4 in Ecotec Forced Induction horsepower ratings. 505.8 WHP 414WTQ!!!
Currently 3rd quickest Ecotec on the .org - 10.949 @ 131.50 MPH!!!

Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 10:04 AM
Yeah the actuator snaps/springs into place as it should.

They called me and claimed it was fixed. Surprise, it's not. If you really push hard you can pretend it's in 1st or 2nd on the shifter inside the car, but the actuator is in the identical spot for 3rd and 4th gear. I took pictures to prove it but they still wouldn't believe me and wanted to start the car.

So after a ton of pressuring that maybe it will magically be fixed once the car is on, I finally hooked up the battery and turned the car on to find, guess what, I was right. 3rd and 4th on teh shifter are actually 1 and 2. 5th and Reverse are 3 and 4. So I put it in Reverse and the car moves forward a little and wants to stall, because, you know, 4th gear.

So I told them to adjust the cables in the console per Alldata.


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 8:05 AM
Yeah they adjusted it, and apparently wrong. Still same problem but now it doesn't go into gear when I move the shifter forward. So I have 2 and 4 when I shift the knob to 4 and R.

Drove it (in 2nd gear and low speed) to a highly regarded transmission shop. They definitely know what they're doing.

Should be fixed by Friday.


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 4:29 PM
im going with bad shift cables.



RIP silver car. You will be missed.
Re: URGENT: Shift Cable Problem?!
Thursday, May 15, 2014 3:58 PM
Shift cables were installed/adjusted wrong.

It's perfect now. Holy @!#$ it's fast. Thanks guys!


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
636 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
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